Exclusive interview: Sheamus on his road to recovery

On the shelf since suffering a seriously torn labrum in his left shoulder at WWE Money in the Bank, Sheamus has spent the past several months undergoing intensive rehabilitation. The road to recovery has been a trying one for The Celtic Warrior, but now the former World Champion sits down with WWE.com to give the WWE Universe some insight into where he has been and when he might be back.

WWE.COM: How’s the shoulder?

SHEAMUS: It’s feeling pretty solid. I’m still a little while away from coming back, but it’s a whole lot better than what it was when I first had the surgery, trust me. When I woke up after surgery, I don’t think I ever experienced any kind of discomfort or pain like I did then. And, even though I’ve come a long way from that, I’m still going to rehab every day.

WWE.COM: You’d never had surgery before then, correct?

SHEAMUS: Yep; It was my first-ever surgery.

WWE.COM: What was your mindset going into that day?

SHEAMUS: Honestly, up until the last moment, I was fine. But literally just before [surgery], as I was lying in the bed waiting for them to knock me out, that’s when I started to get a bit uncomfortable. I just really didn’t know what to expect. But everything went well; I woke up in tremendous pain and discomfort [laughs], not being able to move my arm and literally all patched up and wired up.

That feels like such a long time ago now. The memory’s starting to fade, but it’s something I never want to go through again.

WWE.COM: What has the rehab process been like for you?

SHEAMUS: They’ve taken good care of me. There have been times when I wanted to push the process and they’ve had to hold me back a bit, but it has been great. I have to say, it gets a little monotonous after a while, but I try to mix it up a bit to keep things interesting – Pilates, band work and some weights to keep strengthening both shoulders.

[The physical therapists] are doing a great job, but they can’t help the fact that I just want to get back in the ring. I wanted to get back in the ring two weeks after surgery. The surgery isn’t the hardest part; the hardest part is the rehab and trying to be patient.

WWE.COM: Is there a timetable for your return?

SHEAMUS: There’s not, no. I just have to keep going. Some days are better than others with my shoulder. I do have six anchors put in my labrum; I tore it in half, so it was pretty major surgery. I also tore my right shoulder as well, and even though I didn’t have surgery on it, I’ve been rehabbing both shoulders to strengthen the muscles around the labrum.

My main concern is that I don’t want to come back too early, and then something happens and I’m set back. That would be the worst possible scenario, so patience is the key.

WWE.COM: You’ve been a workhorse throughout your career. What has it been like to be forced to sit at home and watch?

SHEAMUS: It’s tough just to watch. At the beginning, when I couldn’t do anything, I started to watch Raw as a fan, and I was enjoying it as I used to watch it before I came to WWE. One fella who has really impressed me is Big E Langston. Still, it has been tough because I want to get in there, and sometimes you feel like the world has passed you by. It puts things into perspective.

Don’t get me wrong — I’ve done lots of stuff [since the injury]. I got to go home, see my family and spend some time with them, which has been fantastic. I got my house sorted out, got things settled, and I’ve had time to reflect on the amazing four years that I’ve had in WWE. But now I’m just ready to turn that around and get back to where I want to be, and that’s back in the ring.

WWE.COM: What else have you been doing with your time off?

SHEAMUS: I’ve really just been getting my house sorted, training in the gym and rehab. Rehab takes such a long time — it takes about three hours of the day. I’m also in the gym twice a day, doing cardio, and then again doing weights. All my focus is on getting myself in shape.

I’ve also done a lot of studying, a lot of reading. I’m a history buff, so I’ve been reading lots of books on Irish and American history.

WWE.COM: Did you learn a new language, as you had previously mentioned to WWE.com?

SHEAMUS: I’ve been trying to learn Spanish, but it has been hard for me. It’s a slow process, but I’m trying.

WWE.COM: When you do return to the ring, what can the WWE Universe expect from Sheamus?

SHEAMUS: At this stage of the game, I’m just tired of sitting at home. I’ve been frustrated and impatient. I want to come back the way that brought me to the dance — come back aggressive, no-nonsense. I’m fired up and ready to go; I’m ready to take no prisoners. I have to go back out there and remind people who I am, and I have to show the new members of the WWE Universe what they’ve been missing.

Before I got injured, I was kind of spinning my wheels. Now, I’m ready to take back what’s mine. I don’t believe there’s anyone in WWE who is tougher, more determined than me. Sure, I got a little sidetracked, but I’ve had plenty of time to think and reevaluate the situation.

Now, I’m ready to just tear through anybody who stands in my way — I don’t care if it’s Daniel Bryan, John Cena, Randy Orton or Big Show. I don’t care who it is — The Wyatt Family, The Shield, I don’t give a damn who they are. I’m taking no prisoners, and if I go down, I’m dragging everyone with me because I want to be WWE Champion again. Ain’t nobody gonna stop me.